1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to traffic control devices, and more specifically to a vehicle-mounted traffic control board assembly for emergency vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traffic control boards, also sometimes known as traffic flow control boards, are generally rectangular boards with a plurality of lights mounted in a pattern or configuration that is conducive to selective lighting to display traffic control information or arrows pointing either left, right, or both left and right to direct traffic temporarily around hazards, accident scenes, fires, natural and man-made disaster sites, construction or work zones, parade routes, and other areas where traffic needs to be diverted. Portable traffic control boards are often mounted on trailers or carts that can be towed to sites that need additional traffic flow directional controls or indicators, such as near road construction sites, accident sites, public events that draw extraordinarily large amounts of traffic, and the like. First responders, such as fire fighters, rescue personnel, police swat units, and the like often need to create traffic diversions or other traffic control measures immediately upon coming onto a scene without the benefit of traffic control boards, which diverts highly trained human resources to having to do traffic control when their skills may be needed urgently for rescue, first aid, medical care firefighting, policing, or other requirements, at least until portable traffic control boards and/or secondary response personnel can be brought to the scene or until the scene is stabilized or cleared for noinial traffic flow. Except for flares, rudimentary reflectors, and flashing lights that can be placed on the roadways or streets by the first responders, little in the way of equipment is available for first responders to deploy immediately, quickly, and easily at accident and other disaster sites to direct, divert, or control traffic in a manner that does not occupy or tie up any significant time of the first responders.